What Will He Do with It? — Volume 08

"What Will He Do with It? — Volume 08" by Edward Bulwer Lytton is a story set in a time when reputation meant everything, focusing on Guy Darrell, a respected lawyer and speaker, now weighed down by sadness. After trying to return to society and failing, he wonders what good he's done and what will be remembered of him. The book explores wanting to achieve, facing death, and balancing wanting to be famous with doing something that truly matters. At first, Guy is gloomy, thinking about his past successes and feeling like being famous is pointless if he doesn't leave something important behind. He’s intelligent but feels like he hasn't lived up to what society expects and worries his work will be forgotten since he has no children or writings. This makes him think about becoming a writer, even though he doubts he can. Later, Guy considers honoring his father through collecting art and thinking deeply about life, and we meet characters like Fairthorn, who bring some cheerfulness to Guy's lonely life; together, this mix of serious thought and friendship starts a discussion about what it means to be human.